Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-30
RAMBLEs ABOUT EUROPE.
From England to Egypt Especially for
the Eagle.
no, XIV.

| no. XIV
| In previous letters | have briefly men
toned few Of the antiquities of Rome, i
connection with such historical incidents q
their importance seemed to demand.
formidable list still remains, and from til
l shall Gull but few leading subjects an
leave the remainder to the investigation o
any who may have had an interest arouset
through the very imperfect and superfcia
accounts / am permitted to lay befor
them.
Perhaps there is nothing left Of CLASH
Rome that gives one better idea of IT
grandeur than its arches, thirteen in mum
Der, erected at various periods and In vari
Gus localities to perpetuate and glorify tn,
name and worthy actions of favorite EN-
percrs They were erected in conspicu
Gus place, usually spanning street o.
roadway, and consisted sometimes Of but
single arch, and again they were double o.
triple. Without knowing the exact dimen
sions Of any, I should judge, by tht
measurement of the eye, that they nigh
approximate from 20 to 100 feet in height
60 feet in width and - to 20 feet In thick
ness. AS rule they were constructed OF
volcanic stone and marble, some
times surmounted by marble statue;
Of men and. animals, and embei
lished with sculpture In bas-relief,
commemorative of such events as were
designed to be perpetuated.
have already mentioned the Colosseum
and the old Roman forum Well, the arch
of Titus stands on a ridge between these
two ruins. 1t Is a single arch, erected
after the death of that doughty warrior
and emperor, as triumphal arch, COM
memorating the capture Of the Jews and
destruct o. of Jerusalem. A piece of
sculpture In basrelief represents tri-
umphal procession, with Titus in chariot.
advancing to the temple of Jupiter, whilst
In the procession are borne as trophies the
seven branched candlestick and tables of
sheWbread from the temple at Jerue alem.
Titus was emperor for two years and died
81 of the Christian era. On some of these
arches one sees the initial letters S. 2. O.
r., which signifies the Senate, People and
Rome; so by the order Of the s. Z. O II
al arch was erected to Constantine the
Great, to commemorate the victory of
the first Christian emperor" This arch
stands facing the Colosseum and is triple in
construction. 1t has handsome columns
supporting statues and a number of fine
has reliefs, both within the main arch and
its exterior walls. To effect this the arch
Of Trajan, much older structure, was
denuded of its decorations. This arch is
cIInb model of hnantu II or hot
modern nations have copied it, In no less
than three other cities | have seen arches
the duplicate of this, except the decorations.
The Constantine in whose honor this arch
was erected reigned as emperor thirty-one
years, dying at COnstantinople In 337, A d.
The fine columns and obelisks that point
heavenward in Rome are too numerous to
receive from my pen more than brief
mention. The column of Trajan, 1877 feet
in height, constructed of marble and dec
GRATED with thousands of figures, Is very
beautiful and impressive. 1t was erected
A D. ia by the Emperor Trajan himself
as mausoleum for his bones, and history
records that his remains were buried here
He, Of all the Roman emperors, has the
proud distinction of resting within the walls
of his capital city. Surrounding this
superb work of art is a statue of ST. Peter.
eleven feet In height, which owes Its pa
ternity to Pope Sixtus the Fifth OF Fiftheth
the Sixth, l am not clear which An exact
duplicate In plaster Of this column greets
the visitor on his entrance into South Ken
sington museum, London,
In the PiaZzo Colona--a large square or
court, where brass band discourses excel
lent music of evenings, and where the pop
ulace of Rome nowadays throng to inter
view King Gambrinus and gaze at the cleo
trio lights through the bottom of beer
mug-stands another splendid column, that
of Marcus Aurelius. 1t is composed of
white marble blocks, 1877 feet in
height, with fine sculpture, represt q ing
scenes from battles fought in Germany
1t is surmounted by statue Of ST. Paul
another monument to commemorate the
zeal and artistic propensities of Pope Sixtus
the Fifth. Napoleon when he conquered d
province fixed his "heye like heagle" on
any worthy objects of art, If any there
were lying around loose, and sent them
home as trophies. The emperors of Rome,
whom Napoleon initiated, made heavy
Egypt, and embarked extensively in the
obelisk business, there being no less than
twelve of these shafts standing In Rome,
not to Rome's greatness but of
a civilization surprising that of Rome, and
dating far anterior 10 it. Thus, for
the obelisk of Monte Cavalla dates
back three thousand nine hundred and
sixty.one years, or more than two thousand
years before Joseph fled with Mary and the
young Child into Egypt. The obelisks
range In height from IS feet to los feet
They are simply tsperIng quadrilateral
shafts of stone, upon which are inscribed
relating to the philosophy of
the times or commemorating events In the
reign of the early kings of Egypt.
OF the bridges that span the Tiber shall
mention but two. The bridge of St.
Angelo, which We crossed In order to reach
the Vatican. Is superb structure of stone,
built by the Emperor Hadrian 1850 years
ago. The approaches and sides
are beautifed by ten marble
statues representing guardian angels,
and two colossal statues of Peter and Paul.
In crossing the bridge towards the Vatican
one is much impressed with a huge cas,el-
ated editlce right In the front, which was
once the tomb of Hadrian, but Is now
called the castle Of ST. Angelo. Il has
been an appendsge of the Vatican, once
It's archives aud treasures, and
serving as fortress and at times as a
prison. It's guns were cast from bronze
appropriated from the roof of the Pan
theon, which l shall shortly describe.
The Sublicsn bridge which we entered
only on foot, on account of Its unsafe con-
ditton, is not remarkable as a structure.
but there are scraps Of history and legends
with 1t that render 1t somewhat
interesting. / remember when boy
iancient history being 8 hobby with me